Hello NYU Community,
As we practice social distancing and find ways to reach out and check in with our neighbors, we are being called to consider how our actions affect the most vulnerable among us; is that not the very same collective action the climate crisis demands?
To that end, recent reports have examined how social distancing due to the spread of the coronavirus may have unexpected consequences for climate change. Many of the actions people are taking during this time from reducing air travel to consuming less could significantly reduce one’s carbon footprint.
Though in-person gatherings in honor of Earth Day at 50 have been cancelled or postponed, there are still ways to mark this occasion even in self-isolation. Here are 10 things you can start doing during this unique moment to stay healthy and safe while honoring the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and committing to a more sustainable life now and into the future. Read more
The following projects have been awarded a Green Grant from the Office of Sustainability.
Project co-leader: Kiersten Blake, ‘20 (Liberal Studies) and Alexia Leclercq, ‘20 (Gallatin)
This project seeks to build up the knowledge base of youth using a city/state/national politics lens to view, discuss, and address issues as they pertain to the students’ environment and community in the Bronx and Harlem. The lessons will include both teacher-led instructional learning and project-based learning through hands-on activities, field trips that will supplement lessons, and guest speakers who will share their expertise.
From the devices in our hands to the cloud where important project documents are stored, information technology (IT) is a critical part of teaching, research, and work. As NYU IT requires substantial energy and resources to serve our diverse community needs, it also serves a major source of potential carbon reductions and energy savings. That’s why in 2019 NYU’s IT Sustainability Initiative formed: to reduce NYU IT’s carbon footprint. The Initiative is comprised of seven workstreams:
by Carson Bandy
The clothes we put on our back are profoundly personal. Almost as personal as what we choose to put into our bodies. The clothes we wear have stories, good ones, of the times we had in them or the joy they’ve brought us. But there can also be a darker story attached to them that’s not often seen. As some of you may have read in my last blog post, this year I have commited to quit fast fashion. Not only is textile production one of the most polluting industries in the world, but it also comes with a slew of human rights violations. This isn’t exactly new information but what exactly is fast fashion? Fast fashion can be defined in a few different ways. The ethical rating website Good On You defines fast fashion as “cheap, trendy clothing, that samples ideas from the catwalk or celebrity culture and turns them into garments in high street stores at breakneck speed.” Investopia describes fast fashion as “a term used by fashion retailers to describe inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores to meet new trends. Read more
